Apple Music's Shortcomings: A User's Perspective
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Apple Music
While I have a fondness for Apple Music, it's evident that it has its shortcomings.
Everyone has their favorite platform, and for many, Spotify is seen as the superior choice for streaming music due to its early entry into the market. If Apple had been quicker to launch, it might have successfully transitioned its iTunes triumph to Apple Music. However, I still lean towards Apple Music for several reasons.
Section 1.1: User Preferences
I recognize that Spotify excels in music discovery and boasts a more intuitive app interface. Its functional desktop application is a clear advantage over Apple Music. However, that’s not the crux of my preference.
What draws me to Apple Music is its simpler user interface, which feels less overwhelming. Though the user experience may be marginally inferior, I find the layout more appealing. I also suspect, and I can’t be the only one, that Spotify's algorithm favors tracks you listen to frequently.
Subsection 1.1.1: Purchasing Music
One unique aspect of Apple Music is its capability to purchase songs. Although it's infrequent, having the option to download songs that aren’t available on the platform is a nice feature. For instance, when I can’t find a particular track on Apple Music, I have the flexibility to buy or download it and sync it to my iCloud music library for streaming across devices.
Section 1.2: Music Organization
Spotify altered its approach a few years ago, shifting focus from albums to singles. This change has significant implications. When you “like” an album on Spotify, it doesn’t automatically get added to your library; instead, users must individually add each song, which can be quite frustrating.
Conversely, while Apple Music also requires users to add songs individually to their library, I seldom reorganize my music by album. Additionally, Spotify's terminology can be confusing. They refer to saving songs as “liking,” while Apple Music's terminology is more straightforward with “add to library.”
Chapter 2: Key Drawbacks of Apple Music
The first video discusses the major issues with Apple Music's '100 Best Albums' list, highlighting user frustrations and the platform's limitations.
The second video delves into the biggest problems surrounding Apple Music's top 100 albums, offering insights from industry experts.
Apple Music does have a significant drawback: the lack of synchronized listening across Apple devices. Spotify utilizes the internet and data connections to manage playback. For instance, when I connect my iPhone to my living room speaker, I can control playback through my MacBook, something Apple Music currently doesn’t support.
This seamless integration is vital for users like me who own multiple Apple devices. It's perplexing that this feature hasn’t yet been implemented, especially given Apple's focus on a cohesive ecosystem.
While its absence isn't a deal-breaker, it is certainly disappointing. Additionally, another frustrating limitation is the inability to queue songs while connected to a car speaker.
This seems to be a safety measure to minimize distractions while driving. I seldom use this feature personally, but when I'm driving and my fiancé wants to select a song, she must pick a completely different track instead of adding to the queue.
Apple, I trust you’re taking note of these user experiences!